Lions Ledger

Patriot Elementary School February 2019

Lions Ledger

Patriot Elementary School February 2019

A Message From Our Principal

Dear Families,

It is hard to believe the school year is half way over. This has been such an enjoyable year and I appreciate all of the hard work students, teachers, and families have invested so far. Patriot community believes in EVERY child and works to embrace positive learning experiences.

We are looking forward to hosting "Student Led Conferences" and our goal is to have "100%" participation. We have scheduled conferences for the evening of February 12th and duringthe day on February 14th. Notices and sign-ups will be sent from your child's classroom teacher. We look forward to having families together in the Patriot community to share student learning.

Please also join us on Tuesday, February 12th for a "Patriot Town Hall" Meeting at 1:00 in the conference room. This time allows parents, staff, and administration to share ideas, review goals, and communicate on how we will continue to make Patriot a strong academic and social/emotional learning environment.

Thank you for partnering in your child’s education. If you have any thoughts, ideas, and/or concerns, please email or stop by. Remember... "The beautiful thing about education is that no one can take it from you." -BB King

Sincerely,

Mrs. Canon, Principal

Patriot Elementary Mission:

“For every student to become a lifelong learner and a confident, productive member of society by providing an engaging, safe, and supportive academic community.”

Morning DROP OFF IN BACK

Morning DROP OFF IN BACK

YEARBOOKS On Sale!

Yearbook order forms will go home mid-February with a deadline of March 22, 2019.

Cost of yearbooks are $15 and will be distributed the last week of school.

If you will be moving, we are happy to mail to you with a forwarding address.

If you would like to place an online order, you can do anytime between now and 3/20/19.

Wise Words from Patriot Counseling

Mindfulness

Long before I discovered the healing benefits of yoga and meditation, I learned about the calming effects of slow, deep breathing. Teaching children the benefits of mindfulness can help them attend in class, regulate emotions, and manage impulses. What is mindfulness? I love this definition of mindfulness: a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.

I begin each social skills lesson, with ten minutes of relaxation, calm down breathing, and mindful movements. Helping the students to find calm focus ensures not only that they are ready to learn, but that they can calm down when needed. Last week, at the beginning of a lesson I discovered that the students were having difficulty relaxing and finding focus. One student shared the reason why was that they did not get recess that morning. I had a wonderful aha moment and we took some extra time for breathing. When we were finished, another student said to me “is that why you are so calm?” I found myself smiling, and I wished that my mother was there to hear that about her ADHD daughter. I wished that I had someone to help me calm my mind and body like that when I was a child.

My commitment to students is that they can learn these skills and will carry it with them the rest of their lives. Deep, slow breaths is something that we can always have with us and access as needed.

Some great books to share with your child and help you both develop mindful attitudes are:

o Listening to My Body by Gabi Garcia

o Just Breathe by Mallika Chopra

o Puppy Mind by Andrew Jordan Nance

o Breathe like a Bear by Kira Willey

o Good Night Yoga by Mariam Gates

o The Mindful Mantra series of books by Laurie Wright (ex: I Will Try and I Matter)

“The best way to find yourself, is to lose yourself in the service of others” Gandhi

Holly “The Dog Lady” Niewinski, your school counselor, can be reached at 382-1460.

UPCOMING IMPORTANT DATES

February

2/01 PTO Popcorn and Pickle Day

2/1-2/6 Valentine's Grams Sale ends

2/11 PTO meeting

2/11-2/14 Book Fair

2/13 Valentine's Grams Delivered

2/14 NO SCHOOL Parent/Teacher Conferences

2/15 NO SCHOOL

2/18 NO SCHOOL--Presidents Day

2/22 Box Tops Deadline

March

3/1 Read Across America

3/4-3/15 PTO Penny Wars

3/25-3/29 Spring Break

PTO Meeting

When

Monday, Feb. 11th, 2:45pm

Where

Patriot Elementary School Cafeteria

STUDENT COUNCIL

**Student Council is made up of classroom representatives. Student Council meets twice per month and are guided by 1st grade teachers Mrs. Rogers and Mrs. Borst. Student Council members create a vision through service projects, fundraisers, and spirit days.

BOYS TOWN Education Model at Patriot

We are excited to bring the Boys Town Education Model as a means to address and reinforce student behavior and discipline issues. This Model uses a teaching approach for dealing with behavior, therefore teachers and other staff members will proactively teach social skills on a weekly basis and clearly communicate behavioral expectations throughout the day. Patriot staff reinforce students when they make appropriate academic and behavioral choices and correct their inappropriate actions by teaching replacement behaviors and use natural and logical consequences. Each week students are introduced to a new Boys Town Skill and encouraged daily to work on this skill.

February~Forgiveness

2/4-2/8 Accepting Compliments

2/11-2/13 Making an Apology

2/18-2/22 accepting Criticism

2/25-3/1 Disagreeing Appropriately

From the Nurse's Clinic

How to prevent colds and flu

1. Wash your hands. Colds and virus can be spread by indirect contact, someone sneezes on their hands and then touches a doorknob the next person to touch the doorknob picks up the virus. Wash your hands with plenty of soap and water for at least 20 seconds (the time it takes to sing the ABC song)

Student Drop Off & Pick Up Procedures

REMINDER: Please do not drop students off before 7:00 am as Patriot Staff supervision does not monitor until 7:00 am. Morning drop off is NOW IN THE BACK ONLY.

Breakfast students should be dropped off in back as well.

Pick up procedures have not changed.

Students should be picked up at their flag with the oldest sibling. If walking, students exit through the east gate on the black top.

Please ensure that you are following the best practice procedures which can be found on our school website.

We expect all parents to promote safety for our students and community, and be positive role models in our parking lots. Changes to normal routine in child's departure should be communicated to the teacher.

Sunny

Rainy

Snowy

Sunny

Rainy

Snowy

Ever-Changing Colorado Weather

If you have not lived in Colorado very long, you may not be fully aware of the ever-changing weather we have here. We can start off a morning at 30 degrees with frost on the ground, have the sun rise and warm us up to 50 degrees with intense sun so the students can run and play at lunch, and then have a snow storm move in at 2:00 pm.

We encourage all students during the winter to dress in layers and always have jacket, hat and gloves in their backpacks.

In EXTREME weather we will send a message out about Red Flag dismissal process.

Join the PTO or SAAC

The PTO is open to all parents of Patriot Elementary students. We host fundraisers, family nights, and student programs and can use all the help offered. Feel free to stop in at a monthly PTO meeting for information. Please contact Deanna Arellano, PTO President @ #951-204-4279 or email Michelle Canon, Principal @ mcanon@ffc8.org for more information.

**Childcare provided in the gym; meetings will be in school cafeteria

SAAC/DAAC: Do you want to help plan a Vision for Patriot Elementary? Join the SAAC/DAAC Committee. Please contact Mrs. Canon for more information.

PATRIOT + PARENTS = SUCCESS

We Need You!!

Volunteers are always needed at the school for classroom teachers, laminating, cutting, reading to students, helping in the parking lot before or after school; shelving library books, art room, and other locations. We are using SIGNUP Genius to assist in showcasing what our school needs. Feel feel free to check those needs out and help as you can. Any time you can spend in our school is appreciated. We have a sign in book at the office to log volunteer hours that we appreciate you checking in at.

D.O.G.S (Dads of Great Schools) was created by Patriot Staff to promote dads and positive male role models of students to help at our school. We have reserved dates we can use individuals at drop-off and pick-up, reading to students, and helping at recess. Patriot encourages any participation and we will send out messages to ask for volunteers. Research shows the importance of fathers and father-figures in the school setting, and the positive impact it has on academic, social/emotional, and linguistic success. Contact Mrs. Polyefko for more information at kpolyefko@ffc8.org.

Title 1

Patriot Elementary School is a Title I school. Under the provisions for Title I all teachers serving students must meet the qualifications for “Highly Qualified” as an elementary educator. We are proud to inform you that all teachers at Patriot Elementary School meet these rigorous standards. As a parent you have a right to inquire about the qualifications of your child’s teacher or paraprofessional. In order to do so you should contact Mr. Henry Gonzales at (719) 382-1300. He will be able to provide you with this information. If you have any additional questions about our Title I status or programming, please feel free to contact Michelle Canon at mcanon@ffc8.org.

Join the PTO or SAAC

The PTO is open to all parents of Patriot Elementary students. We host fundraisers, family nights, and student programs and can use all the help offered. Feel free to stop in at a monthly PTO meeting for information. Please contact Deanna Arellano, PTO President @ #951-204-4279 or email Michelle Canon, Principal @ mcanon@ffc8.org for more information.

**Childcare provided in the gym; meetings will be in school cafeteria

SAAC/DAAC: Do you want to help plan a Vision for Patriot Elementary? Join the SAAC/DAAC Committee. Please contact Mrs. Canon for more information.

PATRIOT + PARENTS = SUCCESS

We Need You!!

Volunteers are always needed at the school for classroom teachers, laminating, cutting, reading to students, helping in the parking lot before or after school; shelving library books, art room, and other locations. We are using SIGNUP Genius to assist in showcasing what our school needs. Feel feel free to check those needs out and help as you can. Any time you can spend in our school is appreciated. We have a sign in book at the office to log volunteer hours that we appreciate you checking in at.

D.O.G.S (Dads of Great Schools) was created by Patriot Staff to promote dads and positive male role models of students to help at our school. We have reserved dates we can use individuals at drop-off and pick-up, reading to students, and helping at recess. Patriot encourages any participation and we will send out messages to ask for volunteers. Research shows the importance of fathers and father-figures in the school setting, and the positive impact it has on academic, social/emotional, and linguistic success. Contact Mrs. Polyefko for more information at kpolyefko@ffc8.org.

Title 1

Patriot Elementary School is a Title I school. Under the provisions for Title I all teachers serving students must meet the qualifications for “Highly Qualified” as an elementary educator. We are proud to inform you that all teachers at Patriot Elementary School meet these rigorous standards. As a parent you have a right to inquire about the qualifications of your child’s teacher or paraprofessional. In order to do so you should contact Mr. Henry Gonzales at (719) 382-1300. He will be able to provide you with this information. If you have any additional questions about our Title I status or programming, please feel free to contact Michelle Canon at mcanon@ffc8.org.

P.A.W.S

The motto our students practice at school is P.A.W.S

The PAWS Pledge is promised each day during morning announcements: "I am a Patriot Lion. I show my pride by using my PAWS--Personal Best, Act Responsibly, Work and Play Safely, Show Respect to All; I am a Patriot Lion let me show you my PAWS! ROAR!!!

--Patriot Elementary School colors: Red, White, Blue

--Patriot Mascot: Lion

Box Tops for Education

PTO is collecting Box Tops ~~~Next Deadline is Feb 22~~~

Box Tops are an easy way for our school to earn FREE money!

PLEASE keep those Box Tops and students can paste or tape to Box Top Sheets. When complete sheets are turned in, students receive a small treat. Please contact the office for more sheets.